An upstate New York restaurateur has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of obstructing tax administration by underreporting wages paid for several years and urging employees to lie to IRS investigators.

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Mark A. Piche of Poestenkill, a former Rensselaer County Jail guard and former head of the guards' union, could face up to three years in prison at sentencing scheduled Jan. 6.

According to court documents, Piche from 2007 to 2011 caused the Red Front Restaurant in Troy to file false quarterly returns with the Internal Revenue service.

Under a plea agreement, he has agreed to repay almost $29,000 of unpaid employee tax withholdings.